Conditions of Use

There are no use restrictions.

Access Information

Privacy protected and other protected information is considered confidential and restricted from public access for 75 years (Code of Virginia 42.1-78). Types of information and records restricted may include but are not limited to: personal information (2.2-3801). It is necessary for an archivist to review any unprocessed, modern record collections (those collections less than 75 years old) that may contain privacy protected or confidential information before the records can be used by patrons for research purposes or before any copies can be made. If you are planning to use these records, please contact Archives Reference Services for more details before planning your research trip.

Preferred Citation

Records of the Virginia Opportunity Educational Institution, 2013-2014. Accession 51343, State government records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Accession 51343 was transferred by Opportunity Educational Institution, 6/24/2014

Biographical/Historical Information

The Opportunity Educational Institution was established in 2013 by SB 1324, and was promoted by Governor Robert F. McDonnell. It was established as an independent agency in the executive branch of government, with the executive director appointed by the Governor; Jason Sears served as the first executive director. The Opportunity Educational Institution Board was also established as a part of this legislation to supervise and administer the Institution, and was given all of the powers of a local school board. The Institution was given the power to take over any schools that did not meet certain benchmarks required by the Standards of Learning, and then return to the supervision of its local school board when it reaches full accreditation. On 10 June 2014, Judge Charles E. Poston of the Fourth Judicial Circuit of Virginia ruled that the Opportunity Educational Institution's enacting legislation violated the Constitution of Virginia. After that ruling, the General Assembly stripped funding for the OEI from its biennial budget.

Scope and Content Note

Records, 2013-2014, of the Virginia Opportunity Educational Institution. Accession 51343 contains copies of the enacting legislation for the Opportunity Educational Institution, board meeting minutes and agendas of the Opportunity Educational Institution Board, proposed budget and staffing requirements for the Institution, and reference information that was to be used in development of policies for the Opportunity Educational Institution Board, among others. Accession 51362 contains files from the laptops of the two employees of the Opportunity Educational Institution, Jason Sears and Pamelia Watts; email boxes for Jason Sears and Pamelia Watts; and the email box for the generic email account used by the Opportunity Educational Institution.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Sears, Jason
• Opportunity Educational Institution
• Opportunity Educational Institution Board
• Virginia -- Education.
• Virginia -- Politics and government -- 21st century.
• Accreditation (Education) -- Virginia.
• Education -- Virginia.
• Education -- Virginia -- 21st century.
• Educational change -- Virginia.
• School facilities. -- Virginia
• School improvement programs -- Virginia.
• Schools -- Centralization -- Virginia.
• Agendas. -- aat.
• Electronic mail. -- aat.
• Files by subject. -- aat.
• Presentations (communicative events) -- aat.
• State government records -- Virginia. -- aat.
• Reports. -- aat.
• Sears, Jason

Additional Note

These records are part of the Virginia Opportunity Educational Institution record group (RG# 194)